Arrest warrant against 67 BNP activists for 2015 violence

From Anisur Rahman Dhaka, Aug 17 (PTI) A Bangladeshi court today issuedarrest warrants against 67 BNP leaders and activists,including top aides of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, in acase related to last year’s violent campaign spearheaded bythe opposition party in which more than 100 people died. "The court issued the warrant taking into cognizance acase against them under the (tough) Special Powers Act," anofficial of Metropolitan Sessions Judges Court said. Justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order afteraccepting the charges pressed against 93 people but issued thewarrants against 67 people – including BNP’s vice chairman andformer minister Selima Rahman, Zia’s press secretary MarufKamal Sohel and her special aide Shimul Biswas. The court directed the police to submit a report onOctober 10 on the execution of the warrants. Legal experts, however, said the accused might seek thereversal of the order by a High Court. Police earlier said that the 67 people were accused ofattacking and damaging buses and cars and obstructing policein discharging duties in a particular incident at Mugda areaof the capital in February last year. More than 100 people died in arson attacks on vehicles. The BNP-led four-party alliance boycotted the January 2014general elections saying polls with Prime Minister SheikhHasina’s government in power would not be credible. And the main opposition party outside the Parliament wageda protracted and violent street campaign coinciding with thefirst anniversary of the second consecutive term of theincumbent regime. BNP and its right-wing allies had enforced a nationwideblockade last year. Zia and 50 other leaders and activists ofher party were charged earlier in a Dhaka court in two casesover the violence. Police accused her of instigating partyactivists to torch buses and trigger explosions. PTI AR ABHAKJABH